baird



'No. 6|0,639. Patented Sept. l3, was. A. L. BAIRD.

REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR CYCLE RACES.

(Application filed June 8, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD L. BAIRD, OF SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH l/VALES.

REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR CYCLE-RACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,639, dated September 13, 1898.

Application filed June 8, 1898. Serial No. 682,926. (No model.)

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD LAIDLAW BAIRD, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Sydney, county of Cumberland, in the Colony of New South Vales, have invented a certain new and useful Registering Apparatus for Cycle-Races, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has been specially devised for the purpose of registering automatically the relative positions of the competitors in cycling races when passing the winning-post.

The essential feature of the invention consists in marking the tires of the wheels of the cycling-machines in such a manner as to afford indisputable proof as to the relative positions of the placed men when passing the winning-post. This is effected by inclosing within a trench that crosses the racing-track a number of bars or rods, which while the last lap is being negotiated by the racers may be raised slightly above the level of the track, so as to cause a slight obstacle to the passing of the wheels. In efiect this obstacle would amount to nothing more than would be produced by a lath lying on the surface of the track.

The several rods lie closely behind one another and are suspended at each end by sensitive appliances such that when the tire strikes the nest of rods one rod shall be caused to fall below the upper level of the trench. Thus, assuming that there were three rods in the nest, the first wheel that passed the winning-post would pass over and touch all three rods, causing one rod to instantly fall and disappear. The second wheel would then only touch two rods and the third wheel but one.

In order that the positions of the competitors may be marked upon the tires of their cycles the rods should be coated with some preparation, such as wet paint or enamel, and thus the tires will bear marks inversely to the position occupied by the competitor. For instance, where four rods were engaged the first wheel to cross would have four marks on its tire, the second wheel would have three marks, the third wheel would have two marks, and the fourth wheel would have but one.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a half front and half back elevation of the apparatus, the half of the figure to the right being the front view and the half of the figure to the left being the back view. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing the appliances for supporting the ends of the rods and retaining them in position. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan taken on the line 1 2 of Fig. 1. In Figs. 2 and 3 the bars or rods for the purpose of elearness of illustration are shown wider apart than they would be in actual practice; Fig. 4, a detail showing the appliance that supports the rods when the-machine is set ready to judge. Fig. 5 is a view of a detail.

A A are the side frames of the apparatus, that are connected together by the trench B, which will lie transversely across the track. WVithin the trench B are placed the marking rods or bars C, which when not in use lie loosely within the trench. Then the machine is set to register, the ends of the mark ing-bars are lifted and laid upon the foot D of the swinging bar D. This foot D is at one end recessed, as at d. The marking rods or bars may be round rods, such as are shown in Fig. 2, that are connected by stiff wires 0 to the hinged joint 0, or these appliances may be constructed of light angle-iron that are articulated at the point 0, as shown in Fig. 5.

A retaining-rod E that is articulated at the same point c with the swinging rod D lies closely alongside it and moves with it, being retained in that position by the clip 6. A spring F is provided for the purpose of pulling the swinging retaining-rod E, and with it the swinging rod D, into contact with the marking-rods G. The retaining-rod E has a special function to perform. lVhen the ends of the rods 0 are lifted and placed upon the foot D, the spring F will pull the swing-bar D forward until the backmost rod lies immediately over the notch or recess d, through which it would fall were it not that the retaining-bar E by mere friction will hold it in the position shown in Fig. 2.

In actual practice the three rods or bars 0 would lie so closely together as almost to touch and would not be widely separated, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The friction that would retain the backmost bar in its position,

as shown in Fig. 2, would be due to the swinging bar E pressing against it.

It will be observed that the backmost bar lies right over the notch or recess 01 and is not supported in any way from below, it being maintainedin theposition shown in Fig. 2 solely by the friction of the retaining-bar E against it. Consequently the slightest touch on the upper side of the bar 0 will be sufficient to cause it to drop, and this will release the swinging bar D and the retaining-bar E, both of which will be pulled forward with a click by the spring F until the second bar is over the recess 61, where in its turn it will be retained suspended by the retaining-bar E. This operation is repeated until every bar has fallen.

It is understood that the action of the swinging bar D and the retaining-bar E is rapid under the action of the spring F, and when the first bar 0 is released the parts spring quickly forward and the retaining-bar E is thrown into contact with the second bar 0, which it holds by frictional contact from dropping through the opening (1.

Although but three rods are shown in the drawings, it would be necessary to employ five in order to insure that the first three machines in the race shall be marked in their respective places. This is due to the fact that each machine has two wheels and each wheel as it passes over the apparatus will be marked. Thus the front wheel of the winner would be marked by five rods and the back wheel by four rods, providing always that the axle of the front wheel of the second bicycle was in the rear of the axle of the back wheel of the first bicycle, and so on with all the wheels in turn as they pass over the apparatus.

The actual marking is eifected by wet paint or enamel, with which the upper edges of the bars or rods should be coated.

I do not propose to confine myself exclusively to the apparatus described herein and as illustrated in the drawings, as the means adopted to insure the proper marking of the tires may be very greatly varied.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An apparatus for registering the relative positions of cyclists at the finish of a race, comprising a series of marking devices arranged in the track to contact with the wheels of the cycles, substantially as described.

2. A registering apparatus for cycle-races, comprising a series of marking devices arranged in the track with controlling means therefor whereby they are thrown out of action successively by contact with the wheels.

3. A registering apparatus for cycle-races, comprising a series of marking-bars arranged in the track with holding and releasing mechanism for said bars, whereby they are thrown out of action successively by contact with the wheels of the cycles, substantially as described.

4. A registering apparatus for cycle-races, comprising a series of bars extending across the track, holding means adapted to positively hold all the active bars excepting one in position, a retaining and releasing device for the said remaining bar engaging the same by frictional contact and adapted to release the said bar when struck by a wheel, the said holding and releasing device having step-bystep movement to act on each bar in succession, substantially as described.

5. An automatic apparatus for registering the relative positions of cyclists at the finish of a race, in combination, a trench across the racing-track, a nest of bars or rods within the trench, two pivoted hangers to support the ends of the bars, each hanger being provided with a flanged foot, one end of which is notched or recessed, a retaining-bar for holding the rearmost elevated bar, above the notch or recess in the foot and a spring for governing the movements of the combined hanger and retaining-bar, as herein specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two Witnesses.

ARCHIBALD L. BAIRD.

Witnesses:

MANFIELD NEWTON, JAs. T. HUNTER. 

